October 23, 2024

student-collage-x3 2025 CQC scholarship cycle opens Nov. 1—Learn more at a Q&A session
November 20 | Online
The AWC Center for Quality Communities (CQC) is offering three $3,000 scholarships in 2025 to support high school seniors who are active in leadership in their city government, community, or school and plan to pursue post-secondary education. Attend a Q&A session Wednesday, November 20, from 12:15 to 12:45 pm to hear more about the scholarship program, tips from cities that have participated in the past, and how you can identify talented and engaged students in your community. Register now and watch for more information next week.

megaphone-150 Apply for AWC’s new grant for energy audits of city-owned buildings
Does your city own a building of 20,000+ square feet in need of an energy audit? AWC has funding to help. AWC is administering $3.8 million in grant funding from the Department of Commerce to assist cities in conducting energy audits of their qualifying “Tier 1” and “Tier 2” buildings and to gather data on estimated costs to comply with state’s Clean Buildings Performance Standard. Visit our program webpage to learn about eligibility, how to apply, and what resources are available to assist your city through the process.

BOARDMAP100224 AWC wants to hear from you: Attend your annual AWC Board district meeting
Multiple dates | Multiple locations
Join AWC and other city leaders in your area for the opportunity to connect over lunch, share your priorities, and hear about AWC’s 2025 legislative agenda. You'll also learn about our ongoing work to update our bylaws to ensure our Board remains representative of our diverse membership. We hope to see you there and look forward to hearing how AWC can best serve the needs of your city. Not sure what Board district you’re in? Find out here and register today.

Stay up to date with drinking water quality news pouring out of the EPA
It’s been a big year for drinking water system regulations. In addition to the initial inventory of lead service lines that was recently due to the state, the EPA has announced final rules for lead pipe replacement requiring drinking water systems to identify and replace lead pipes within 10 years, conduct more rigorous testing, and use lower contamination thresholds. This follows the EPA’s April release of final rules for PFAS (aka “forever chemicals”) in drinking water, establishing maximum contaminant levels and compliance deadlines. Cities are encouraged to stay abreast of these new requirements.

MayorProfileHarnoisMicki150 Double duty: Serving two small towns at once
AWC Board Member Micki Harnois sits down with Cityvision magazine to share lessons learned and her unique perspective earned through her tenure working as a councilmember in Rockford, while also serving as clerk/treasurer in Malden. Read the interview.

Other news & resources

Get involved! Apply by November 20 to serve on an AWC committee or state board. More

NLC releases City Fiscal Conditions 2024 report, providing a comprehensive analysis of the financial health of municipalities across the United States. More

Commerce launches three free resources to access federal clean energy and climate funding. More

Commerce is requesting input on its new Federal Funds Grant Writing Assistance Program. Complete this survey to let them know how the program can best help your city or town. More

Are you looking for peer and professional support as you implement sustainability actions for your community? Attend an October 29 info session on the EPA’s new Sustainable Communities Accelerator Network (SCAN). More

Cities have until October 31 to submit written comments to the state Supreme Court on proposed indigent defense standards. More

Attorney General’s Office announces one-time grant opportunity for $2 million in gun violence prevention funding for local law enforcement. Apply by October 31. More

Attend a virtual information session on November 4 to learn how WSDOT is working to support street lighting improvements across the state. More

Advance your community resilience goals by hosting a CivicSpark Fellow—watch this recorded information session to learn more and apply by November 8. More

Apply now for additional grant funding through the Office of Public Defense SPAR Program to address impacts of new Blake drug possession caseload through June 30, 2025. More

Retail delivery fees: A potential transportation funding tool for cities?
With Washington’s gas tax revenue no longer keeping pace with funding demands, local governments must find other sources to support critical road preservation, maintenance, and operations. At the same time, increased demand for retail deliveries has brought a corresponding rise in larger, heavier delivery vehicles that cause more strain on local roads. A retail delivery fee could be a potential solution—a sustainable revenue source to support the state’s underfunded transportation system. Learn more.

AWC trainings & events

AWC: AWC Board district meetings | Multiple dates | Multiple locations

Trust: Wellness Planning Workshops | Multiple dates | Multiple locations

D&A: Supervisor training | Multiple dates | Multiple locations

AWC: 2025 legislative session preview | December 5 | Online

AWC: EOE webinar series: Promoting a positive workplace | New date: December 18 | Online

Other trainings & events

LGLC: U.S. Supreme Court preview for local governments: 2024-2025 term | October 31 | Online

PSRC: Preventing commercial displacement near transit | November 1 |Online

MRSC: Lessons learned from GMA housing element updates | November 14 | Online

MRSC: Digging into public works fundamentals | November 14 | Bellingham

State Archives: Records management workshops | Multiple dates | Online

NLC: Webinars and events | Multiple dates | Online

Looking to fill a key position? JobNet is a great place to recruit new talent. Post your job openings on AWC JobNet today.

Featured jobs:
AWC | Employee Benefits Specialist
City of Bonney Lake | Public Services Director
City of Leavenworth | City Engineer